The degree of membrane fluidity in bacteria depends mainly on the percentage of
A) lipids that contain sphingosine.
B) glycolipids.
C) free fatty acids.
D) unsaturated fatty acids.
E) None of the answers is correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The degree of membrane fluidity in bacteria primarily depends on the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in the membrane lipids. Unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds in their hydrocarbon chains, which introduce kinks that prevent the fatty acids from packing tightly together, thus increasing membrane fluidity.

The Degree of Membrane Fluidity in Bacteria Depends Mainly on the Percentage